When in Amsterdam, everyone seems to gravitate towards Thai food…maybe because there is a Thai restaurant near our hotel, but also because there are a lot of Thai options in Amsterdam. Occasionally, I like to indulge my Thai taste buds, but more often than not, I like to try other things.
Remembering the first time I went to the Eetcafe Mosveld (not to be confused with Eetcafe Number One, also in this area), I was officially hooked. Chicken schnitzel is what they are known for and with extremely good reason. It is truly divine and probably the best that I have had outside of Germany. The accompanying sauces are outstanding and the home-churned seasoned butter placed on the table with the freshly baked bread has caused me to break my diet more than once. Other dishes are offered as well, as nightly specials, such as fresh grilled fish and occasionally stuffed potatoes as an option other than French fries.
And then, there is the fabulous service! The owner is aware that many crew members frequent his establishment and we are treated very well, though I have always seen his hospitality extended towards all patrons. At the end of our meal, we are always treated to an after-dinner drink. The thing that has most made an impact on me, though, is that I have only eaten here about six or seven times over the last three or four years, but the owner remembers what I like and what sauce I usually order.
Another thing that we adore about this place, is that as a group, sometimes it becomes a little difficult trying to remember “who had what” and trying to split the bill, especially after a few beers are involved. No heavy duty math skills are involved, as we each go up to the bar and the owner charges us individually for what we owe. Come prepared with cash, however, no credit cards are accepted.
Last year, when my family spent spring break in Amsterdam, with all of the options available to us in the city center, we made the trek across the river, to Amsterdam Noord, just to eat here at my recommendation. Yes, I heard many gripes about why we had to go so far when there were so many other places to dine, but after our meal was complete, not one complaint was heard from my picky eaters. In fact, my family still talks about this restaurant today and the owner still asks about my family! Now, that’s the kind of place I like to give my business to!
Night view…you’ll know it by the twinkling lights on the ceiling inside!
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Wynand What? Many have never heard of this place nor know exactly how to pronounce it, but there is a wonderful little surprise that hides behind the NH Krasnopolsky Hotel in Dam Square. Built in 1679, the Wynand Fockink Proeflokaal (Dutch for tasting tavern) and liquor store resides in the adjacent alley.
Beginning as a liqueur distillery, a Proeflokaal was added where customers could taste and buy the products. Today, you can still visit the tasting room, using the time honored way of bowing to the drink and slurping the first sip from a traditional tulip glass. There are many liqueurs to sample in many flavors, such as butterscotch, lemon and creme brulee as well as genevers, brandies and draft beers.
Space here is limited but always interesting and I always get very excited when I find out that someone I am with has never been here. It’s a “must do” on anyone’s visit to Amsterdam! Ask the bartender to surprise you with something unique…and if you love it, you can wander over to the adjoining store and purchase a bottle to take home!
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Outside the Oude Kerk (Old Church), near the Red Light District, a bronze sculpture embedded in the cobblestones, appeared one night in 1993.
It was the fourth statue or sculpture to appear in a random spot in the city. The City Council had no idea who was behind the appearance of these statues and sculptures and had it removed. After extending an invitation to the anonymous maker to come to City Hall, the City Council finally discovered his identity. Shortly thereafter, they announced that he was a medical doctor who in his free time made sculptures and wanted to remain anonymous.
The sculpture was returned to its original location and can be seen there today.
Most visitors to Amsterdam make their way to the famous Anne Frank House, on Prinsengracht, to learn of the young girl and her family that hid from the Nazis during WWII. After leaving this wonderful museum, time should be taken to visit the Verzetsmuseum (Dutch Resistance Museum) to gain more insight into the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands.
Because this museum was included with my Museumkaart, I decided to take some time to visit one afternoon. Not sure what kind of museum it would be, I was surprised to find how interesting and informative I found all of the stories depicted here.
On May 14, 1940, the Nazis bombed Rotterdam and threatened other Dutch cities. The Dutch forces surrounded and the Dutch government and the royal family escaped and went into exile into Canada. German troops occupied Amsterdam and remained in charge for five long years.
The Verzetsmuseum explains how the Dutch residents were forced to accept soldiers marching the streets, the black-out rules, press censorship and finally cold and hunger. Jewish residents were persecuted and deported to concentration camps. The country lost almost seventy-five percent of it’s Jewish population.
Many stories are detailed in the museum of individuals who adapted, collaborated with or resisted the Nazi regime and there are authentic objects, photos, documents, film and sound fragments telling the history of the people who lived through that period. There are many fascinating stories about the exceptional as well as the everyday.
Baby carriage used to smuggle weaponsBody flask for smuggling milk
The story that stood out and amused me was that of Jacoba Maria Blom-Schuh of the Hague. In 1941, she refused to assist the cause until the queen returned to the Netherlands. Blom-Schuh was imprisoned for three months. The Nazi guards gave her their socks to darn and acting in defiance, she sewed them shut repeatedly, supposedly out of ignorance. Later, her outstanding sewing skills were showcased on beautiful embroidery samples of her prison experiences, which are on display in the museum.
Jacoba Maria Blom-Schuh and one of her embroidery samples
A separate section also tells the story of the former colony the Dutch East Indies.
If you are visiting the museum with children, they will love the Resistance Museum Junior which is aimed at children from the age of nine, visiting with or without their parents and containing true stories and authentic items that were part of children’s lives during the occupation by Nazi Germany. Young visitors can experience the Nazi occupation through the eyes of four children who lived during the era, Eva, Jan, Nelly and Henk. Once the visit is complete, a trip to the zoo can be combined with this museum as it is located across the street.
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Getting There: From Amsterdam Central Station take trams 9 or 14. Stop ‘Plantage Kerklaan’, stop ‘Plantage Middenlaan/Kerklaan’ or stop ‘Artis Zoo’. You can take subway 51, 53, 54; exit Waterlooplein/uitgang Hortus is walking distance from the museum,
In Amsterdam, many years ago, on December 5, the hotel staff advised my crew to leave our shoes in the hall that night.
“Why?” we asked. “Because Sinterklaas is coming tonight and he will leave treats in your shoes,” they replied.
I learned two lessons that night. First, leaving your shoes in the hall can result in one or both missing in the morning…probably another spiteful flight attendant…definitely not Sinterklaas. The other, is that some of the Netherlands’ Christmas traditions are a bit different than ours.
Over the years, I acquired much knowledge on Dutch traditions while visiting Amsterdam during the Christmas holidays. Children leave out their shoes on December 5, the night before the feast of Saint Nicholas, in anticipation of Sinterklaas’ arrival. He rides on the roofs of their houses on his horse and his helper, Black Peter, shimmies down the chimney, leaving presents and candy in their shoes.
On one of my first trips, while shopping for a unique piece to add to my Santa Claus collection, I was introduced to Black Peter, by a Christmas Shop owner in the Flower Market. Black Peter, or Zwarte Piet, is the companion of Saint Nicholas. He is attired in colorful Renaissance attire and is portrayed as a blackamoor, a Moor from Spain. He is the helper of Sinterklaas and children are told that he keeps a book of all of the things that the children have done all year, good and bad. Good children receive presents from Sinterklaas. Bad children are put into Black Peter’s sack and taken back to Spain in order to be taught lessons on how to behave.
I loved the idea of adding something different to my collection and purchased him immediately. This has become one of my favorite pieces…one that I share the story of with my children each year. Additionally, I have visited de Bijenkorf’s department store many times to see the mechanical Zwarte Piets climb festive ropes up and down in the main hall and to take pictures with Zwarte Piet!
Dutch tradition dictates, I later learned, that Sinterklaas arrives on the second Saturday of November. Hailing from Madrid, Spain, every year he chooses a different harbor to arrive in Holland, so as many children as possible get a chance to see him. He arrives on a steam boat with many Zwarte Piet and dressed in his red robes, leads a procession through the town, riding his white horse, Amerigo.
In Amsterdam, which hosts one of the largest parades in the Netherlands, Sinterklaas’ entrance into the city is by sailing down the Amstel River. The route through the city is past the Nieuwe Amstelbrug, Torontobrug, the Hoge Sluis by the Royal Theatre Carré and the Magere Brug. The waterborne parade ends at the Scheepvaartmuseum (Maritime Museum) where he is welcomed by the Mayor of Amsterdam. Here, his boat is traded for his white horse, Amerigo and the parade continues through the streets. After arriving at Dam Square, a special musical program is kicked off for kids of all ages. When the musical progam is complete, he continues on through the Rokin, Muntplein, Rembrandtplein, Utrechtsestraat and Weteringcircuit until he reaches the last stop on his tour, the Leidseplein. Here, Sinterklaas delivers a special message to his smallest fans from the balcony of the Stadsschouwburg.
Last year, I was present for Turn on the Lights in Dam Square…the lighting of the facade of de Bijenkorf, followed by a magical theatrical show, but somehow, for all the time I have spent in Amsterdam, I had never managed to be there for Sinterklaas’ arrival.
For the first two weekends of November, this year, I was happily in Amsterdam. I always prepare, beforehand, what I will do on my layovers. None of the activities I had researched alluded to anything special occurring in Amsterdam on the second weekend, although I had realized that I was going to miss the Turn on the Lights celebration after seeing workers set up some of the equipment in Dam Square.
On our first day, we had ventured into the city, but we had set aside our second day for plans to introduce our newest co-pilot to a good old fashioned bike ride into the countryside, followed by lunch. The wind and blowing rain that morning dictated otherwise.
Grabbing our umbrellas and abandoning our bikes, we decided to try and salvage the day. My friend, Jeana, and I jumped on the hotel van to head into the city. Our tentative plan was to head to the train station and see if any trains were heading to cities that we may have been interested in visiting.
While traveling to the city center, the van driver suddenly made an announcement that the streets were being closed and it was now not possible to make it to our drop off point. After turning around, he began heading back towards our hotel and the nearby ferry so that we could cross over to the train station.
Before exiting the van, we asked the driver why the roads were closed and we were informed that Sinterklaas was arriving!
Making our way from the ferry, through the train station to the main road, we headed down the barricaded avenue of Damrak. Not knowing when the parade would begin, we decided to have a quick lunch. Here, the owners of the restaurant, informed us that Sinterklaas usually arrived, at this location, just after one o’clock. After our lunch, we ventured over to the avenue and staked our claim against the barricade. It was raining and windy and we began questioning if it was worth braving the abhorrent weather. We decided “yes”, each time the rain tapered off, only to have it start again with huge wind gusts that flipped our umbrellas inside out!
Photo by Jeana Sager
Eventually, we noticed a few of the locals pointing down the street toward Dam Square. From the nearby clock tower, four Zwarte Pieten were rappeling down the side, just over Damrak. We left our prime spots and luckily found positions that were equal in ease of viewing the parade. Watching the Zwarte Pieten jump around on the walls of the tower mitigated the misery of the steady drizzle that continued to fall. Finally, two Black Peters rollerbladed on by! We knew the parade was going to begin soon!
The parade, like many others, consisted of many floats, marching bands and dancers. This one, however, contained many Black Peters! Black Peters riding on and driving the floats. Black Peters marching and playing in the band. Black Peters dancing, rollerblading and riding bikes. Black Peters handing out flags and kruidnoten, gingersnap-like cookies. I have never seen so many Black Peters!
OK, I admit…I was so elated that I pretty much reverted to being a hyperactive, enthusiastic child, all but demanding that one kindly Black Peter give me a flag…which they were mainly handing out to children. I accepted lots of kruidnoten…and ate every last bit. And, I coerced more than one Black Peter to take a picture with me!
When Sinterklaas was spotted coming down the street, I was excited and eager to wave and take his picture, but his appearance was so fleeting, that I was once again distracted by my favorites, the Zwarte Pieten.
Sadly, the parade was over as quickly as it had begun. Officials promptly removed the barricades and people, cars, bicycles and trams, once again, filled the streets. Spilled kruidnoten and a few discarded “Welkom Sinterklaas” littered the sidewalks until city workers shuffled in cleaning behind the procession. The most important thing that was left, however, was excitement! Sinterklaas had arrived! He had been greeted by the mayor of Amsterdam and officially been welcomed into the city by the Dutch and the many visitors to the city. The Christmas season had begun!
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Recently, I praised the value of possessing the Museumkaart if you are a frequent visitor of the Netherlands. Once again, it proved its worthiness when looking to fill my afternoon with culture!
Using the card to visit a museum that I may have not chosen while just out touring on my own, the Museum Van Loon was not only a welcome respite to the cold, drizzly afternoon but a place that transported me back many centuries. Beautifully decorated, the many visitors that walk thru its doors are taken back to a time of untold grandeur.
Built in 1672 by architect Adriaen Dortsman, the Museum Van Loon lies in the heart of Amsterdam’s canal district. It’s first resident, Ferdinand Bol, was a pupil of Rembrandt and the home was later owned by Willem Van Loon, a co-founder of the Dutch East-India Company and founder of the museum.
A magnificent private residence, it houses a large collection of paintings, some dating back to the 16th century, fine furniture, precious silvery and porcelain from different centuries.
Behind the house, stepping onto a parcel of land, hidden from the hustle and bustle of the city, one could be envious of the life that the Van Loon’s led in this beautiful oasis. The formal-styled garden, is bordered to one side by the coach house which regularly displays historic coaches, sledges and harnesses once owned by the Van Loon family. The coach house now also provides room for the museum’s educational programs, exhibitions and events.
The museum is open daily from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm daily and is located at Keizersgracht 672. The museum can be reached by foot, bicycle, car or tram (16 and 24 Stop at Keizersgracht).
Adults: € 9
Students: € 7
Groups of 10 persons and more: € 7 pp
Children 6 to 18 years: € 5
Children under 6 years: free
Museumkaart, Stadspas, IAmsterdam City Card, ICOM: free
Smack dab in the middle of Amsterdam’s Chinatown is the Fo Guang Shan He Hua Buddhist temple.
Many times, I have walked past this temple, however, as I returned from Muiderslot castle, I noticed for the first time, that the temple was open.
He Hua Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in Europe. Built in the traditional Chinese style, the entrance has a large central opening usually reserved for monks and nuns. There are two side entrances for laymen.
Once inside, the temple is an open-plan room with a central shrine to Avalokitesvara, a female deity know as Kwan Yin in the Chinese tradition. Visitors can purchase and offer incense or a piece of fruit at the shrine.
A small museum of Buddha images and other artifacts line the right side wall, while the walls are covered in plaques with reliefs of Kwan Yin and inscriptions naming the donors who funded the construction of the temple.
A level below, houses a Jade Buddha Shrine. Also within the complex, there is a meditation hall, a hall for honoring ancestors, a meeting room, classrooms, a library, a dining room and bedrooms.
If you, like me, love temples…take the time to stop and see He Hua Temple in Amsterdam. You can check the box off of seeing the largest Buddhist temple in Europe and then grab some dim sum for dinner!
He Hua Temple
http://ibps.nl/home-2/
Tue- Sat 12.00-17.00
Sun 10.00-17.00
Closed on Mondays and January 1
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Anyone who has traveled to Amsterdam with me, knows what an avid fan I am of the Museumkaart or Museum Card.
Valid for one year and costing about €59,90 for adults and €32,45 for children up to 18 years of age, the Museumkaart is the cheap way to explore Dutch museums throughout the Netherlands. There are 32 museums in Amsterdam and 400 throughout the Netherlands, that accept the card, giving you countless hours of entertainment and culture.
Currently, on my third card and having used it extensively throughout Amsterdam and other parts of the Netherlands, it gives the flexibility to see many museums on my own schedule, since I travel to this area frequently. An example of the Museumkaart’s usefulness is visiting the Rjiksmuseum. The Rijksmuseum is a wonderful museum and should most definitely be added to your “must see” list while in Amsterdam. To see the Rijksmuseum, however, in its entirety, one would need many hours and €17,50 for admission, almost one third of the card’s purchase price. Since I don’t have the attention span to devote more than one or one and a half hours here, I have had the ability to visit the Rijksmuseum many times using my Museumkaart!
There have also been many museums that I would not have taken the time to see, from not knowing of their existence or from just thinking they would not be of the kind I would be interested in.
One particular museum, that I did not know of, is the Tassenmuseum Hendrikje or the Museum of Handbags and Purses. Not listed on the Museumkaart website was this particular museum, however, I was informed of this institution by a coworker and decided to check it out for myself.
Located on Herengracht 573, near Rembrandtplein, it is easy to reach from all parts of the city, by foot, bike, car or tram. Situated in a lovely canal house, the largest museum of bags and purses in the world showcases over 5,000 bags and purses (from 1600 A.D. to the present).
Starting with one single handbag, two passionate collectors, Hendrikje and Heinz Ivo, began gathering a private collection of exceptional quality. Receiving over 85,000 visitors per year, the former 17th century mayor’s residence was renovated and furnished exclusively for the museum in 2007. Wandering from room to room, it is intriguing to see the vast array of designers represented and the wide variety of styles on display.
Today, in addition to perusing the vast collection, one can book a reservation for high tea or lunch or reserve a rich and elegant Period Room for all sorts of events and occasions. Visiting on a Saturday, it was evident that it is a popular venue for women attendees, who tour the facility and finish their day with lunch or tea.
Tannenmuseum Hendrikje
Adults €12,50
65+ €9,50
Youth (13-18 yrs) €7,50
Youth (Under 12) €3,50
Student €9,50
Museumkaart Free
http://www.tassenmuseum.nl
Museumkaart
Adult €59,90
Children €32.45
The price include one time starting fee of €4,95 which has to be paid only at the first purchase of the Museum Card.
http://www.museumkaart.nl
Amsterdam museumsaccepting Museumkaart
Allard PiersonMuseum
Amsterdam Museum
Anne Frank House
Bijbels Museum-Bible Museum
De Nieuwe Kerk-New Church
Diamond Museum Amsterdam
Dutch Funeral Museum
Film Museum-EYE Film Instituut Nederland
FOAM Photography Amsterdam
Hermitage Amsterdam
Huis Marseille, Stichting voor Fotografie
Jewish Historical Museum
JHM Kindermuseum
Max Euwe Centrum-Chess Museum
Museum Our Lord in the Attic
Museum Geelvinck Hinlopen Huis
Museum Het Schip/Amsterdam School of Architecture
Museum Van Loon
Museum Willet-Holthuysen
NEMO Science Center
Oude Kerk-The Old Church
Olympic Experience
Royal Palace Amsterdam
Press Museum
Rijksmuseum
Scheepvaartmuseum-Maritime Museum
Stedelijk Museum
Tassenmuseum Hendrijke
Tropenmuseum-Tropical Museum
Tropenmuseum Junior
Van Gogh Museum
Verzetsmuseum-Resistance Museum
Discount for Rembrandt’s House
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